What is Jökulsárlón?

The Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of Iceland's major highlights! Jökulsárlón, or 'Glacier's-River-Lagoon’ is one of Iceland’s most beautiful attractions; it’s absolutely breathtakingly stunning, and if you are at all able to visit this spot, you should. Jökulsárlón is a glacier lagoon filled with icebergs.

Why is Jökulsárlón a glacier lagoon?

Jökulsárlón is a relatively new glacier lagoon in Iceland. It formed in the 1900s as the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier started to melt due to rising temperatures caused by climate change. As the glacier recedes, it leaves behind a large crater which was filled with water from the melting glacier and nearby seawater.

How long does it take to get to Jökulsárlón?

Follow Route 1 all the way to Jökulsárlón. (Maps below.) If you were driving straight through, this would take about 4.5 hours, but we don’t recommend that. Instead, consider stopping at some of the amazing sites along Iceland’s southern coast. Some of our favorites were Skógafoss waterfall and Dyrhólaey lookout and lighthouse.

How deep is jokulsarlon?

There's also an opportunity to hike on the very glaciers that feed water into the glacier lagoon, book a glacier hiking tour, and explore more of the icy side of Iceland! With a maximum depth of 814 feet (248 meters), Jokulsarlon is Iceland's deepest lake. Jokulsarlon's surface area measures 11.2 square miles (18 square kilometers).